December 14, 2012 1:19 pm

One of the debates about Josh Hamilton signing with the Angels was whether or not the Mariners were truly making a competitive offer to the all-star outfielder.

According to sources, they were in all the way. The Mariners offered Hamilton a four-year, $100 million deal with vesting options for a fifth and sixth year. Those options were easily attainable, probably along the lines of 400 to 450 plate appearances, which Hamilton could have gotten in playing about 100 games.

So if the options were so easily attainable, why not just offer Hamilton the fifth year? Well, it’s protection in case he got hurt or was out of baseball. But basically, the Mariners had 150 million on the table.

Basically, it boils down to the Angels coming in and offering the fifth year guaranteed. And also Hamilton not really wanting to play in Seattle.

There’s another factor to consider. Hamilton has always been comfortable being the secondary focus. In countless interviews, and even in the few times I talked to him, he referred to the Rangers as “Michael Young’s team.”

Going to a situation like Seattle, where he would be the sole focus, the “man,” isn’t something he desires or relishes. He just wants to play baseball and live his life. Going to Los Angeles and playing with Mike Trout and Albert Pujols does that.

And let’s be frank, all things being equal, Hamilton goes to LA over Seattle because they can win right now.

This is what I wrote: “Because of concerns about the durability of a body once ravaged by drug abuse, Hamilton, 31, figures to command no more than a three-year deal worth, say, $20 million a season.”

Hamilton signed Thursday for a reported $125 million over five seasons, so my projection was, ahem, just a bit outside. I assumed he could be had for $60 million; the Angels gave him more than twice that.

Details, details.

In any case, Hamilton would have been right for the Mariners at $20 million annually over three seasons, and he’s right for the Angels – at least in the short term – at $25 million annually over five seasons.

But he wasn’t right for the Mariners at those numbers. Five seasons, just as he’s entering the decline phase of a typical baseball player’s career? No deal.

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Bob Dutton joins The News Tribune after more than 25 years at the Kansas City Star, including the last 13 covering baseball and the Royals. He was the president of the Baseball Writers' Association of America in 2008 and serves on the committee that nominates players to the Hall of Fame.

Actually, Pujols got $250 million….Ryan, how do we reconcile the Mariners’ supposed offer for Josh Hamilton with Jack Zduriencik’s comments (before Hamilton signed with LA) that the Mariners weren’t going to offer long term deals at this point. He said “eventually, we will, but not now.”

They manage to tease us now and again with a promising season, enough so to keep the stands full enough to generate positive net income. So $15M was spent to make 2013 Safeco a more fun place to be. (that’s so Seattle). Winning baseball for one or two seasons is secondary.

The real value is the appreciated sale price when an owner or owners want to sell their shares.

For now, this is a good minor league club at major league prices and a decent place for young players to earn their chops before selling their talent in higher paying markets.

They manage to tease us now and again with a promising season/rookies, enough so to keep the stands full enough to generate positive net income. So $15M was spent to make 2013 Safeco a more fun place to be. (that’s so Seattle). Winning baseball for one or two seasons is secondary.

The real value is the appreciated sale price when an owner or owners want to sell their shares.

For now, this is a good minor league club at major league prices and a decent place for young players to earn their chops before selling their talent in higher paying markets.

If you are Josh Hamilton where would you rather play, Southern California or Western Washington?

If you are Josh Hamilton what team would you rather play for, a contender that includes Puljols or a perpetual basement dweller who still has Justin Smoak, (a man who has yet to hit his weight) at first base?

Would you rather play for a team owned by an aggressive Arte Moreno or some old guy in Japan who may or may not even know he owns a major league baseball team?

In spite of this attempt at public relations, Seattle had and has no chance to sign a legitimate big money free agent.

If the M’s make a solid, respectable upgrade to their offense then I’ll be happy with this off-season. That’s all I wanted going in. Because even a moderate upgrade is going to look a whole lot sweeter if it’s complimented by their young players stepping up their progress this season like I think they’re going to. The Mariners have some serious young talent.

That is interesting hearing about how hard the M’s went after Hamilton. Hearing that does give me a little more faith that they’re going to get something done.

HOW MUCH MONEY IS ENOUGH,IF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION BOY’S AND GIRL’S YOU CAN WIN AT BEING THE BAT BOY, OR GIRL, FOR THE ANGELS BALL CLUB, YES YOU COULD BE THE ONE CARRING A 25 MILLION DOLLAR BAT AROUND NOW WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING TO TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS, I THINK THE NEXT TIME I GO TO A BALL GAME I’M GONNA BRING A BIG WADD OF ONE DOLLAR BILLS CRUMPLE THEM UP AND THROW THEM AT HAMILTON AND HIS ANGELS.

Try monopoly money crytalball(what you couldn’t buy an s?)I’m sure it’s all you can afford anyway…

I’d like the M’s to try and make a deal for Jason Kubel he can play both corner OF spots, not well so you pull him for a defensive replacement late in games. He also can play some 1b and DH. the guy has a career .800 ops and has avg over 20 homers and 90 rbi in 3 of the last 4 seasons. He’s 30 years old and by all accounts a positive guy in the clubhouse. Not a big splash but a professional hitter who produces rbi.

Nothing will change until ownership is changed and the two meatheads in front office are gone. No name bobbleheads will continue to flourish and Ichiro will have a place to come back and retire. What a disgrace to the fans of Seattle.

He was never coming here. Get over it. “God”, aka 25 million more guaranteed and a better team, told him to go to LA.

I’d rather they not invest 25 mil a year in a player like him unless they’re going to up the rest of the budget. Too much to invest in an oft-injured player that wilts under pressure. Maybe they can get Swisher and Bourn for around the 25 they were going to invest in him. Hopefully, Texas doesn’t jump in and up the market for Swisher.

I’m hoping Steve Balmer purchases this team. When the “M” were in Japan the owner didn’t even show up for the games between the “A” and “M”. I agree that our front office has to go. But I also agree that paying 25 per for 1 playeer at this point is a bad deal. we need 2 power bats 1 to protect the other in the line up this would also give Felix reason to sign an extension. there is more going on here then scoring more runs. I’d give up alot of defence to have runs for a change.

WTraveler, it’s rationale, not “rational.” And Pujols signed last off-season. Just like Fielder. And the rationale isn’t the same. Fielder was 27 at the time, not 31 like Hamilton. He was worth a long term commitment. I doubt Fielder would’ve come here unless they threw 30 mil a year at him. Good hitters don’t generally want to come to crappy teams with horrible hitting ballparks. Shocking, I know. Maybe they can nab a premier player next off-season if they show signs of life this year and moving the fences in makes a significant difference. Also, remember that they still had Ichiro’s giant contract weighing them down. At least with their shrunken budget.

I’d rather they save the money for next off-season, when there is supposed to be a lot more talent out there then to overspend on a bum. Other than signing a Swisher for like 5 years, 80 million, I don’t see any other hitters out there I’d spend a lot of money on. Maybe Bourn if they’re going to part with Guti after 2013.

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